Individuals lucky enough to travel to Belgium may want to bring along their scuba gear to explore all that Nemo 33 has to offer. You might not think of Belgium as the ideal place to scuba dive, considering there is only 66km of coastline to explore, but the citizens have come up with another way to allow you to explore all that diving has to offer in the creation of the world's largest pool.
What Is Nemo 33?
Nemo 33, as it is called is a swimming pool that is in Brussels, Belgium. It is the world's deepest swimming pool. The maximum depth of the pool is 108 feet, or 33 meters. Further, it has some 2.5 million liters of water within it. The water itself is not chlorinated, so as to create a natural diving experience for those who plan a visit to it. In addition to this, the water is comprised mostly of spring water. The water is filtered precisely to ensure that the quality of the water remains at its highest level possible. In order to create the right climate for diving, the water is maintained at 30 degrees C or 86 degrees F. This creates a unique and interesting place for anyone to experience diving.
Diving Nemo 33
Although Nemo 33 is a swimming pool, it is not a simple shaft filled with water. Rather, there are several simulated underwater caves located throughout the underwater world. The caves begin at 33 feet in depth, or 10 meters down. Imagine diving deep into the water and exploring caves in any traditional diving experience. Granted, there are fewer problems including improved visibility and a stable water pressure without a strong current. However, the Nemo 33 swimming pool does create a unique and well worth experience for anyone who loves diving.
This scuba diving unit contains two large flat bottomed areas. One of the areas is located at 16 feet depth while the second is at 32 feet of depth. There is also a centralized circular pit that takes divers down to 108 feet. As you can imagine, these various depths create a unique diving experience for anyone who dives in.
As you dive into the swimming pool, you are able to explore the area as you would like to. As you move throughout the pool, you will find many underwater windows. These windows allow you to peer out them, but they also allow non-divers to peer at you as you are moving through the water. As a visitor to the center, you can view the pool at various depths, perhaps as a way to gauge what the water levels look and feel like.
Nemo 33's History
The Nemo 33 complex was designed by a man named John Beernaerts. He is a local Belgian diving expert who is well known for this creation as well as his diving work around the world. The focus of the creation of the Nemo 33 was to create a multipurpose diving facility. It is commonly used for instruction as well as for recreational fun. In addition to this, there have been various films produced using the facility. Nemo 33 opened in 2004 for operations and is mainly an instructional facility.
Visiting Nemo 33
If you are in Brussels, Nemo 33 is located just outside the city limits in Uccle. Visitors are welcome to the viewing areas. There are many other things to do here as well, including lounging and having a few drinks while you watch through the windows at others learning to dive or just having fun. The pool does lack a bit of realism (there are no coral reefs or underwater wildlife to take into view here) but it does give the ideal conditions for people to learn to dive. If you are in Belgium and hope to learn to dive, there may not be a better place to do so than Nemo 33.
Those interested in learning to dive and wish to do so in Nemo 33, the best place to start is with a listing of the company's courses available. This changes based on demand. You will find a wide range of courses to select from throughout the year (remember, the water is maintained so diving at any time of the year is possible.) All of the gear you need is available at the facility. Special events, tours and more information are also available by contacting the facility directly. Go ahead and explore the world's largest pool without the risks associated with diving in the wild.
Comments
This is a great experience! Has anyone been to the Y-40, the world's deepest pool?